Felt shrinking



Feb. 9 1926.

F. F. cHUDoBA FELT sHRINKlNcf Filed July 25, 1921 :s sheets-,Sheet 1 n: r u

Feb. 9, 192e.

1,572,424 F. F. CHUDOBA l FELT SHRNKING Filed July 23, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet z lllllllnnmm. l

)IHIIHIIIIIHPI y Af@ Feb. -9 1926. f 1,572,424

F. F. cHUDoBA f `FELT SHRINKING Filea July 2,5, 192i :s sheets-sheet z .Inv Qn/01@ 3 Hank F flzudob Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES FRANK F. cHUDoBA, oF GLASTONBURY,

PATENT oFFICE.

CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO UNITED STATES HAT MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION `OIE' VIRGINIA.

FELT SHRINKING.

Application led July 23,

To all whoml t my concer/n.'

Be it known that I, FRANK F. CHUDOBA, a citizen of the United States, residing in Glastonbury, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Felt Shrinking, of which tlie following is a specification. f

This invention relates to shrinking matted fur fibers to form felt articles.

In making a felt hat, the fur fibers are usually blown upon a large perforated metal cone, where they mat or adhere together slightly, forming a bat. This cone-shaped hat is dipped into hot water, to effect a certain shrinkage thereof, and render the bat Strong enough for handling. The batl may then be shrunken to the desired dimensions and solidified into felt of the desired quality and firmness by means of the presentimprovements.

I-Ieretofore a bat in flat condition, while wet with hot water, has been rolled up in a burlap blanket, and then rolled, squeezed and manipulated, thereby bending the bat locally in various ways, with the effect of causing vermicularmo'vements of the fibers. Such movement of a fiber is always in the same direction, owing to the presence of minute barbs on the fiber, so= that the described manipulation has caused the fibers to creep cr felt together. Many further operations have also been necessary to finish the shrinking of the bat, and considerable waste of fur fibers has been incurred. l The present improvements may be carried out after the bat has been removed from the cone upon which it was formed, and after it has been immersed in hot water. is opened and placed upon a bed for the purposes of kneading the same, the'bed being conical in form and preferably of such proportions that the bat may lit thereupon, yso as to be supportedeverywhere thereby. The bed may form the interior of a coneshaped bowl or basket, andthe bat is placed within said bowl or formto be subjected to the desired manipulation or kneading.

The preferred manner ofk kneading the bat placed upon such a bed is to subject it to .intermittent pneumatic pressure, applied in such a way as to flex the bat repeatedly The bat 1921. seran No. 487,141.

to and fro locally throughout its area. To this end, a bulb may be'placed within the open bat, while the latter lies in the bowllike bed or form. The bulb may be of soft rubber, and may be operated by fluid pressure or compressed air. This liexible bulb may fit inside of the bat; and there maybe provided upon said basket or other bed numerous knuckles throughout its area The bulb may then be expanded by compressed air, whereby the bat is flexed upon the knuckles; and then, upon lreducing the pressure of the air or fiuid within the bulb, the bat may recover its shape. The operation of inflating and deflating may be repeated,

the bat meantime being kept moist with hot water until, by means of the v'ermicular action of the fibers, the bat has shrunken materially and to the desired proportions..

cured, so that it will attain the desired proportions and have an even thickness throughout. thus conducing to the availability of the finished hat, and avoiding eX- cessive thickness at any place, or over-consumption of fur. No waste is liable to occur througlrmatting together of the bat at fold creases, since no creasing is done; and the necessity is avoided ofvopening out the flat bat and refolding it along new lines.

In one form of the invention, a conical bed or support may have the knucklesv upon its exterior, land the opened-out bat may be set down upon the cone, and then surrounded by arubber bulb, which may be inclosed in a pneumatic bell or chamber, and compressed intermittently upon the bat to shrink the same.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a basket forni of bed, with a bat therein positioned to be shrunken by a pneumatic interrior'bulb; saidbulb being shown open toa supply of'compressed air.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view taken at about the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 shows the pneumatic valve turned to exhaust position.

Figure 5 Shows diagrammatically on a larger scale a sectional view of a fragment of he bed, bat, and pneumatic kneading bu Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but indicating how the bat is locally flexed by reason of fluid pressure within the bulb.

Figure 7 is similar to Figure 1, but shows a form of bulb which is provided with annular ribs, ridges or 'corrugations, each vertically crinkled. This ligure shows the valve in exhaust position.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7,but showing the bulb expanded with the rib portions thereof pressing the bat into creases or depressions between the rows of knuckles on the bed. l

Figure 9 shows the bat placed open-end down upon a conical bed to enclose the same, the whole being arranged within a soft'rubber bulb, which, by pneumatic pressure, is compressed upon the bat to knead the same upon a coney or bed; the parts' being shown in exhaust positions.

Figure 10 is a View similar to-Figure 9, but shows the rubber bulb compressed by air pressure upon the bat,'whieh is pressed upon the riffles of the conical bat and thereby kneaded.

Referring to Figures 1 to 6the brim of' of two plies, of which one ply 14 is soft rub# ber, and the other'ply 16 is of rubber having a cloth insertion. As illustrated, the bat may rest upon these soft rubber knuckles 15, which may be in the form of similar regular pyramids of low elevation, or any. other suitable protuberances whether regular or not.

These knuckles form numerous 'yielding points or supports upon which the bat may be locally flexed or kneaded for eec'ting the shrinking thereof.

The knuckles, constituting protuberances, may be in the form of annular corrugations, interrupted ridges, or other designs that will hinder the bat from slidin downwardly into the cone during the shrin ing' operation.

Within the batextends a bulb 17, preferably of soft vulcanized rubber, which may be inflated for the purpose of squeezing and kneading the bat against the supporting knuckles 15. This bulb may depend from a nipple 18, the mouth of the bulb being secured upon the nipple by wiring 19.

For convenience in inserting and withdrawing the bat, the bowl 13 may be made to drop away from the bulb. For thispurpose the bowl may be provided with a supporting bracket 20, carried by a vertical rack 21, the latter being mounted to slide up and down a post or fixture 22. A pinion 23 meshes with the rack, and maybe revolved by means of a crank 24, thereby to drop the bowl clear of the bulb 17 and permit a bat to be inserted in the bowl. The crank 24 is then turned to raise the bowl until the brim 25 at the top thereof is arrested by a flange 26 which may be formed upon the nipple 18, and which may be secured by screws 27 to a horizontal cover-plate 2S, cast upon an arm 29 bolted at 30 to the upper part of the post .22.' The bowl is held in this lifted or work- 1ng position by means of latches 31, pivoted at 32 to ears provided upon the nipple flange 26, whereby the bowl and nipple may be supported rigidly together during the shrinking operation. The lifting of the bowl brings the bat up so that it surrounds the pendent bulb 17; and the parts are nowready for the shrinking operation. To keep the bat hot and moist during the kneading thereof, hot water may be supplied through a pipe 33, opening into a channel 34 at the top of the structure above the bowl, the

water flowing down around the bat to the bottom of the bowl, where there may be provided a waste-pipe 35. v

The compressed air may be admitted through the nipple 18, the latter having for this purpose an inlet pipe 36, communicating with a supply 37 of compressed air. In the supply is placed a three-way val-Ve 38, which may comprise a main diametrical passage 39 and a branch port 40. At Figure 1, the main port 39 forms an open communication from the supply 37 to bulb 17, so that the latter is forced outwardly at all points by compressed air, and packed against the bat, forcing the latter into all the creases between the pyramids 15 with which the kneading bowl is lined, so that the bat is forced to haye numerous local flections 41, as seen best at Figure 6. The valve may then be brought promptly to exhaust position, as at Figure 4, in which the branch passage 40 forms a communication between the pipe 36 and an exhaust 42, while the supply is closed by the valve, so that the bulb 17 may resume its normal condition, and the` bat may recover substantially `its normal unflexed conditionpmthe knuckles, which may have been depressed to some ex-V tent, also recoveringtheir normal condition. This operation of expanding and exhaustl ing the bulb may be repeated at as short intervals as desired, and with the result that the repeated kneading or flexing of the'bat shrinks the same until it reaches, for example, the desired size indicated at 43', Figure 2.

The operation may be summarized as follows: The bowl 13 may be moved downwardly on the post 22 by means of the crank 24, driving the cone downwardly by rack and` pinion device 21, 23. The bat 11 is then introduced, while compressed air is shut ofi from -the interior of the bulb 17; the bulb, being smaller than the bat, will not touch the bat. Compressed air is then introduced through the vsupply 37, and through port 30 and pipe 36. By reciprocating the valve 38, the compressed air escapes, and thus there arel alternate vibrations produced in the bulb. This causes the bat 11 to be pressed inwardly against the recesses between the knuckles 15, causing the fur to bend over the knuckles, and to shrink rapidl As the bat is shrinking, its position gra ually shifts relatively to the knuckles, so that fresh portions of the bat are pressed upon the several points and are therefore subjected to flexing by the action of the bulb 17, thus promoting verniicular action throughout the bat, which is hence rapidly brought to desired dimensions at 4?). The movements ot the valve 38 may be effected by an arm 44, connected by a pit- 1nan45 to a rotary or other driver, so that the expansion and contraction of the bulb may be made at regular intervals it desired.

At Figures 7 `and 8 a surface View of the lower portion of the bat is seen at 1l. The bulb 48 is seen contracted or normal at Figure 7, and expanded at Figure 8, and differs from bulb 17 by being formed with hori- Zontal ribs, ridges or beads 49, one below l another, extending around the bulb, each rib in position to press the bat down .into the space between ladjacent horizontal rows of pyramids 15, as at 41, FigureI 8. Each of these ribs 49 may'. have short vertical crinkles 50 all around the bulb. The effect of Jthe ribs 49, especially when finely wrinkled or corrugated vertically, is to. improve the kneading action of the bulb upon the bat, or to yimprove the vermicular action of the fibers and shrink the bat more quickly, solidly and evenly. lh other respects Figures 7 and 8 correspond with Figures 1 to i 'Gf The wa-ll of the ribbed bulb 48 may be of uniform thickness, as shown; and., because of the use of the ribs opposite theV annular ldepressions between the circular rows of pyramids (one such row being seen at Figure 8), the wall of the bulb may be made as thick and` formed as desired, and may 4or corrugations 50.

require less pneumatic pressure to accomplish a given result upon the bat. Moreover, the ribbed bulb, after beingfully expanded, as at Figure 8, tends, upon being exhausted, to resume its original condition as at Figure 7, and thereby to withdraw the walls of the bat entirely from the crevices between the pyramids. rlhis may happen because the air between the bat and the `bulb is expelled when they are subjected to pressure as at Figure 8; and, upon the compressed air being exhausted, the atmospheric air flowing down along the pyramid surface keeps the bat and bulb pressed together, the wall of the bat tending to adhere to the wall of the bulb, because of the previous expulsion of air from between them. 'lhus the bat may be kneaded outwardly by compressed air, and then kneaded inwardly by atmospheric air. This tendency of the bat to adhere to the bulb may also be present in the form of the invention seen at Figures 1 to 6; but the presence of the ribs 49 in the bulb at Figures 7 and 8 tends to increase the flection or kneading of the bat, as compared with the plain bulb seen at Figure 1. This effect is also favored by the crinkles The ribbed bulb will require less expansion than the plain bulb of Figure l, and it will also cause the fur to be bent inwardly into the recesses as shown in Figure 6, more readily than 'it the bulb were a plain surfaced bulb.

Some of the principles already disclosed may be employed in a. manner which, in some respects, is the reverse of that so far described. .lhis is illustratedat Figures 9 and 10. The bed, instead of being an inverted cone 51., as in the previous figures,

stands upon a table 52, and the bat to be the parts and permit the bat to be dropped l upon-the cone and removed therefrom.` the table 52 may be provided with a vertical rack 58, which may be cast iirtegral with the table and with a strengthening rib 59. 'lhis rack may be lowered by means of pinion 23 ieu and crank 24. thecone table 52 dropping therewith antil clear of bell 55, so that thebat 53 maybe dropped upon the cone. Then the crank 424 is turned t'o raise the rack, table and cone 51 to the Figure 9 position, the parts being secured together by suitable locks, as, for example, latches 60; and a wide brim 61, formed upon the base of the bulb 54, being clamped between a ange 62 on the bell 55 and a packing ring 63 upon the table 52, so as to render the bell air-- 'port 51. The lattermay be either smoot 1,

or covered with such pyramids as seen at Figures 1 to 6, or it may have plain horizontal ridges or rililes 66. The cones or work supports may be of hard material, such as wood or metal, or they may beof soft material such as soit rubber, and may be either solid or hollow. When made hollow and of soft rubber, a greater movement or -flection of the bat may be secured at each operation Y of the valve 38.

Upon return ofthe Valve 38 to the exhaust (Figure 9) position, the compressed air escapes, and the rubber bulb '54 tends to resume its normal expanded condition at Figure 9, and the bat tends to resume its normal condition because of atmospheric pres'- sure within the bat; and in this connection a suitable number of vents 67 may be provided t0 permit air to pass out at Figure 10, and to let the air in again when the compression valve is returned to the exhaust position at Figure 9. Duringfthe shrinking operation the bat may be kept hot and wet by scalding water entering through a pipe 68. The water may flow to the top of the conical work support 51, and descend through a waste pipe 69. The mouth of the bulb may be made wider than is shown at Figure 1, so as to permit the insertion there` into of the` cone 51 and the work thereon. In practising the invention in the manner shown in Figure 1, the mouth of the bulb 17 may be made smaller than shown 'if desired,

as it is on the interior of the bowl or conical work bed 13. The bat may be held on theV cone at Figures 9 and 10`by other lmeans than by ridges or points, as, for example; by means of air pressure.

' Variations may be resorted to within the .scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others..

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A bat-shrinking apparatus comprising a tapering bed, said bed serving to`support .l the bat, and means fixed by the action of fluid pressure for intermittentlyk applying I surface pressure to the bat.

2. A bat-shrinking apparatus comprising a bowl in whichthe bat is placed, an expansible bulb to Iinsert within the bat,iand

ymeans for expanding the bulb intermittentpressure, to knead the sible bulb to insert within the bat, and means for expanding the bulb intermittently by means of ilud pressure, to knead the bat, numerous knuckles being provided upon the inner surface of said bowl.v

4. A lining for a work bowl to be used in shrinking felt bats, said lining comprising a bag of soft rubber formed on its inner face with numerous soft rubber knuckles, the latter vbeing arranged close together and comprising approximately the entire area of said inner face.

5. A work bowl in which to shrink felt bats, said bowl having a tapering form andlined by means of a bag formed of soft vulcanized rubber provided throughout its inner face with soft rubber knuckles comprising approximately the entire area of said inner face.

6. A work bowl in which to shrink felt bats, said bowl having a tapering form and lined by means of a bag formed of soft vulcanized rubber, a soft rubber bulb arranged within the ba and means for infiating and defiating the ulb repeatedly.

7. A bat-shrinking apparatus comprising a bowl in which the bat is placed, an expansible bulb to insert within the bowl, and a nipple to which the mouth of the bulb is secured, said nipple having a passage whereby it is connected to a source of compressed air.

i 8. A bat-shrinking apparatus comprising a bowl in which the bat is placed, an expansible bulb' to insert within the bat, and means for expanding the bulb intermittently by means of fluid pressure, to knead the bat, means being provided for effecting separation of the work bowl and the bulb to permit the insertion and withdrawal of bats.

9. A bat-shrinking apparatus comprising a bowl in which the bat is placed, an expansible bulb to insert within the bat, means for expanding the bulb intermittently by means of fluid pressure, to knead the bat, a rack connected to said bowl, and a pinionv for operating said rack to carry the bowl away from the bulb.

10. A bat-shrinking apparatus comprising operating said rack to carry the bowl away from the bulb, a nipple to which'the mouth of the bulb is secured, said nipple having a passage whereby it is connected to a source of compressed air, and means extending yfrom the `nipple to the bowl lfor locking the bowl in working position. l 11. A bat-shrinking apparatus comprising a bowl in which the bat is laced, an expans* rack connected to said bowl. a pinion for ible bulb to insert within t e bat, and meansfor expanding the bulb intermittently by means of fluid pressure, to knead the bat, a hot water supply channel being provided to extend above the bowl.

12. An apparatus for shrinking a bat, consistingin a bowl provided with a multiplicity of irregular points which prevent the bat from twisting or folding upon itself during the shrinking operation, a rubber Vbulb introduced inside the bowl, and means to expand the rubber bulb and release the pressure in the bulb alternately.

13. An apparatus for shrinking a bat, consisting of a tapering support provided with a. multiplicity of supports to prevent the bat from sliding on the support during the shrinking operation, a rubber bulb placed adjacent to the bat, and means to expand and contract the bulb alternately against the bat.

14. An apparatus for shrinkin a bat, consisting in means for holding `said bat, a rubber bulb placed adjacent to the bat, and means to expand and contract the bulb alternately against and away from the bat.

15. The process of vshrinking abat,.com prising supporting it upon a tapering bed, and repeatedly subjecting said bat to successive compressed air induced kneadings while the bat is hot and moist.

1G. The process of shrinking a bat, comprising supporting it upon a tapering bed provided with yielding knuckles throughout ing said bat to successive compressed air induced -kneadings while the bat is vhot ,and

' moist.

17. The process of shrinking a bat, cornprising placing the bat within a bowl having numerous knuckles upon its inner surface, and repeatedly kneading the bat by expanding a bulb therein by means of fluid under pressure.

18.` The process of shrinking a bat,

comprising placing the bat within a bowl,

inserting a bulb within the bat, and alternately admitting compressed air to a bulb and ex iausting it therefrom.

19. The process of shrinking a bat, comprising placing the bat within a bowl having numerous soft vulcanized rubber knuckles upon its inner surface, and repeatedly kneading the bat by expanding a bulb therein by means of fluid under pressure.

20. The process of shrinking a conical bat, comprising confining it in open condition between inner and outer conical members,

. sible bulb to insert within the bat, said its working surface, and repeatedly subject-- and repeatedly knea-ding it while confined by the use of compressed air in a soft rubber bulb, which expands to press the bat against soft rubber knuckles provided upon one of said confining members.

21. A bat-shrinking apparatus comprising a bowl in which the bat is placed, an expansible bulb to insert within the bat,said bulb being formed of soft rubber and connected to a: supply of compressed air for expanding the bulb, said rubber bulb being formed with horizontal ribs, one below another, extending around the bulb.

22. A bat-shrinking apparatus comprising a bed in the form of a bowl in which the bat is placed, an expansible bulb to insert within the bat, said bulb being formed of soft rubber and connected to a supply of compressed Vair for expanding the bulb, numerous knuckles being provided 'upon the working surface of said bed, said rubber bulb being formed with horizontal ribs, one below another, extending around the bulb, each rib in position to press the bat down in the space between adjacent horizontal riffies upon the bed. v

23. A bat-shrinking apparatus comprising a bowl in which the bat is placed, an expapk;

being formed of soft rubber and connected to a. supply of compressed air for expanding the bulb, said rubber bulb being formed with horizontal ribs, one below another, extend ing around the bulb, each of said ribs having numerous vertical crinkles all around the bulb.

24. The process of shrinking a bat, which consists in holding said bat upon a support by mea-ns to prevent the bat from twisting or folding yupon itself during the shrinkingy operation, and alternately expanding and contracting a rubber bulb against the bat, to cause it to shrink.

25; The lprocess of shrinking a bat, which consists in holding said bat upon a support, said support being provided with a multiplicity of knuckles, and then alternately expanding and contracting anelastic rubber bulb against the bat to cause the bat to shrink.

26. The process of shrinking felt, consist.

ing in kneading it by means of compressed air acting to vibrate a flexible diaphragm upon the felt while it is supported upon a bed. v

FRANK F. CHUDOBA. 

